Let's discuss MBT ESAI weapons

The Marauder didn't need the nerf it got in the first place, it was always second fiddle to the Fury anyway but after its nerf it is even worse because of its terrible range and needing like 3 hits to kill 1 target.

I've been killed by the Canister about three times total (as far as I can remember).

I have no idea what could be done with the thing, although the explosive pellets suggestion seems like a viable first step.

The last time I've seen the Marauder on a Prowler was about a week ago... it was unmanned.

One interesting suggestion I've seen in one of the recent threads was to flip Vulcan's and Marauder's roles - make the Vulcan an AI weapon (maybe with some splash damage thrown in) and give the Marauder AV damage type, a flatter trajectory and Faracture's graphics and sounds and such so that it could serve as a viable alternative to the Halberd.

The Marauder needs a bigger magazine, higher RoF, more velocity, but less damage per shot. Make it into a low damage, grenade machine gun.

And yet nowhere did I say that or even remotely suggest it.

Asymmetic balance isn't always comparing like for like; it is comparing the use as a whole, and with a secondary gun you have to balance it out with the primary guns too.

I was not bringing hostility to the discussion, simply highlighting that you were picking out an isolated case where you feel VS are strong and the other 2 factions got shafted.

Given the choice, as a Magrider driver I would take Shield all day long as an ability. It is too versatile with absolutely no downsides. The other two abilities have more downsides than actual positives. That is a fact I'm sorry to say; each has a niche that it fills nicely, but ultimately Shield can just be good everywhere for everything.

And that is fine. You are entitled to your opinion, and I respect that.

Absolutely not. As I've said in a recent reply, nobody wants useless weapons but you can't just compare weapon X with weapon Y when it is used as a secondary. You have to talk about the complete package and then balance accordingly.

For the record, I agree that Canister is underpowered but not in isolation.

Indeed, i used to run with marauder at that time, it actualy had some use at helping to kill tanks/sundies. too bad canister and marauder are pretty useless at most situations nowdays.

Don't feel bad for reaver pilots with this airhammer. It's the only ESF AI gun that can effectively engage all targets IMO. It can take out Air targets in close range and can massive damage on Infantry. Sadly, there isn't much splash and it requires hovering for the infantry to render and more hovering to aim and shoot. The Banshee I think is the next best because it can kind of engage air because it has decent muzzle velocity, mag size and RoF. The Banshee is my favorite to farm with of the 3 because f the fast TTK and splash. And then there's the PPA. I don't like it really. It's really good at Infantry farming sundies, but it has a slower TTK of the 3 and is very ineffective VS air aside from gals and maybe libs.

Marauder has a blast radius of exactly *drums rolling like crazy* 1m. I would rather have a Banshee ESF-AI weapon than the Marauder. Much better with a 25 round mag and explosive 30m rounds. reduce the COF and boom, redone Marauder. And you can still call it the Marauder, I have no idea why you would take Marauder over Banshee as a name.

PPA is hilarious.

i think the main issue with the PPA may be its abnormaly large mag size, and also the fact that it can damage all targets (including vehicles). if this file is correct, then there is really something going on with the PPA that may need correcting in one way or another:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...LWg3MkN5YWlncmJYSVlJbzh5ZXc&usp=sharing#gid=3

look at the total kills and compare it to the marauder and "modified". something is definitely off.

This is exactly the reason why I think the Canister/Marauder need some serious love from SOE.

For me, personally, I don't usually want an AI gun. I want a gunner that can help me with Heavy Armor if needed.

I might use them if they had some kind of Anti Armor capability.

I can't believe I'm typing this, but would the reflexive Magrider-lovers / Vanguard-shield-haters please take a blasted chill pill.

So far I haven't seen word one about making the PPA any worse, just mainly complaints that the AI gunner weapons aren't up to snuff for the TR and NC factions.

Personally I think the empire specific weapons in general for the other two factions could use improvement. If it leads to them being used more, all the better. If it leads to Prowlers or Vanguards showing some break-out superiority over the Magrider, then balance can be tweaked at a later date. Heck the Mag might get improvements for once!

But for now, it is unhealthy for the game to have two faction's ES weaponry be viewed as unworkable, or even worse "un-fun", and thus not used. Ignoring this by bringing up the Vanguard shield or kneejerk defending the Magrider's weaponry without cause is silly, disappointing, and makes us all worse off.

1/2 MBTs are a travesty....I get less EXP for killing them.

I don't doubt that some Vanguards and Prowlers use their ESAI weapons. We just don't see them because they die instantly.

Conversely, I made a VS alt two days ago and tried to find Magriders to gun for. At least half of them had the PPA. And why not? Continuous fire, high damage, no drop, easy to use. Effective in every scenario you would ever want an AI secondary to be useful for.

Not that I would use an ESAI weapon on my Vanguard all that often, but I think it ought to actually be an option instead of a really bad joke.

The PPA doesn't damage all types, it got a nerf against vehicles just like the others did.

the marauder isnt that great, and the vulcan is only good at 10meters now, mostly TR tanks run basilisk or halberd

I'm always tempted to equip the C85 when I'm fighting at a Tech Plant as its mostly infantry in close quarters scenarios.

Then I remember 5 minutes later when the fight is over the C85 is going to be 100% completely useless when the I leave the Tech Plant. Its just going to cause:

a) My gunner to be unbelievably bored as all fighting will now be at medium-to-long range.
b) My vanguard getting owned because it's secondary is now useless

If SOE wants people to use such situational weapons then they need to add vehicle re-arming stations. Let me drive my tank to a special area and swap out my secondary. The same for air vehicles. I don't see why there isn't a re-arming station inside the warp-gate for aircraft.

The difference in total of kills can be attributed to the synergy with the Mag itself. The long range (no drop) and splash characteristics of the PPA mesh with the medium range fighting of a VPC Mag. The Mag is able to get into and out-of infantry fighting range easier than both other tanks. It can also get high ground more often and utilize the splash weaponry better. Also, the prowlers HEAT and HE weapons will steal a lot of kills from the Maurader.

Both NC/TR AI weaponry needs a longer range option. Those close range weapons are useless for vehicles that really should keep infantry at arms length. To be honest, both should use the Kobalt for the longer range fights as it would fit the ranges a bit better.

Btw... PPA doesn't do damage to MBTs, Lightnings, Sunderers, Libs or even base turrets I believe. Harassers, Flashes, and ESFs are the only things it can damage anymore. (PU02 Change).

The ESAI secondaries were always better choices on the Harasser than tanks. If you ran into a vehicle you could just leave, while with the tank you now have to fight the enemy with about 1/2 the damage output.

Canister was really bad for Vanguard due to it being a shotgun on the slowest EST. The Harasser could make use of this weapon due to being able to close distance, but because of the staggering nerfs to that platform the buffs to the Canister itself just don't matter.

Marauder is also not that great because street-sweeping just doesn't happen that often in bases. Tech plants are about the only time you see this. If tanks had more risky, tight routes through a base (rather than simply walling off entire bases) then you could see more use for them. Again, the Harasser is the better platform for this weapon but…yeah...

PPA has range, and is also on a tank more often used to skirt around the outside of battles. The Magrider is better able to choose their engagements on a whole, and the range allows them to engage infantry in the field, which makes it a more useful option. PPA has always been a great long-range AI weapon because it has a large clip size, no drop, and splash damage.



In general I'd like to see that minor AV damage returned to these weapons. It really wasn't much damage to begin with…no one said "Look at all those tanks! Better grab a Marauder!". Or at least give the AV damage back to the full tank versions. It would at least offer a little damage at close range versus an enemy tank.

Reread what you wrote, you were directly comparing it to factional traits of MBTs, which are asymmetrically balanced, implying that one faction having a decent AI weapon and the other 2 having basically broken AI weapons is asymmetric balance, lol.